Brickmaking-machine.



No. 862,558. PATENTED AUG. 6, 1907 1. B. HISGOOK.

BRIGKMAKING MACHINE APPLICATION FILED MAR. 12, 1907.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

' INVENTOR No. 862,558. PATENTBD AUG. 6, 1907. LE. HISGOGK.

BRIGKMAKING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED MAR. 12, 1907.

3 SHEETS-SHEBT 2.

I I sa X T13 WITNESSES INVENTOR PATENTED AUG. 6.1907.

I. E. 111300011. BRIG'KMAKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION II LED MAR.12, 1907.

WITNESSES:

' ATTOR Y lRA E. HISGOOK,- OF BAY CITY, MICHIGAN.

BercmuAKrNG-mmmm. l

Specification of Letters Patent.

I mate's Aug. 6,1907.

i Applioation'tiledMarch"12,l907-,Serialll'o.361,953- 1 To all whoin it may concern: V j Be it known that I, IRA E. Hrscocx, a citizen of the United States, residing atBay City, in the county of Bay and state of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Brickmaking-Machines;-

' and I do'hereby declare the following to be a full, clear,

and exact description of the invention, such aswill enwhich it appertainsto.

able others skilled in the new make and use the same.

This invention r'elates to brick-making machines, and

more particularly to that class of. machines comprising an endless-chain of moldsinto which the material is discharged-and from which the completed brick are discharged.

chine wherein the molds travel continuously. I

compressing the material into, brick form as it passes therebeneath.

r i V A still further object is the provision of novel, means for automatically supplying pallet boards to the endless chain of'molds.

Another object is the provision of novel means for releasing the completed brick from the molds.

Still another object is the provision of means for preventing the entrance of extraneous material to the mold chain trough.

To these' and other ends, therefore, my inventionj 1* comprises certain novel features and combinations of parts, such as will be more fullydescribcd hereinafter and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side view of my invention;'Fig. 2 is a top plan view; Fig. 3 is adetail perspective view showing a portion of the chain of molds in its trough; Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of the presser wheel; Fig. 5 is a detail top plan view partly in section of the mold chain; Fig. 6 is a detail sectional I v view of the spreading sprocket; Fig. 7 is a detail view of a rock faceplate applicable to the rotary compressor; Fig. 7 is a detail view of one end of a mold, the chain 1 being shown in section; Fig. 8 is a detail view of aportion of these ries of end walls used when making blocks;

Fig. 9 is a top plan view thereof; and Fig; 10 is adetail cross-sectional view showing the means for preventingthe entranceof dirt between the chain and channel.

(A) indicates any suitable support upon'whic h the standardsll) (1) are placed, the standard (1) being slightly higher than standard (1). Sprockets (2) (2') arranged in pairs are carried on shafts (3) (4) journaled on standards (1) (l).. Shaft (3) is the drive shaft and carries a gear (5) driven in any-suitable manner, not shown.

- A pair of endless mold-forming chains pass around the respective pairs of sprockets (2) (2), each chain consisting-of alternate open and closed links (6) and (7) respectively, the open links and the closed links of one Oneobject of my invention is the provision of a ma-'- chain lying opposite and traveling with the open and closed links respectively of the opposite chain. End walls (8 (8) are secured in any suitable manner to the insidesections of the open links, 'the end walls beingpreferably of a length equal to the length of the end of the bricks to be formed, and each end wall may be provided with a pair of lips(9) (9) located on opposite sides across from chain to chain, the ends of such side walls being loosely receivable in the interstices between the V p successive end walls. Pins (1.1) project from the ends Afurther object is the provision of a rotary presser for.

.Zof the side walls and are loosely received in apertures .formed transversely of the solid links (7). of the respective chains. Theuppef edges of the side walls are re duced, as shown at (11) to fit the grooves of the PIQSSBI wheel hereinafter described. Furthermore, the endsl of the side walls are reduced or provided with a slight draw,'as at (12) to cause them to fit snugly between the endwalls i M v The mold chain travels in the direction of the arrow (Fig. 1) passing around the sprockets (2) and into a trough or chain-housing (13) approximately U-shaped in cross section, as shown in Fig. 3, the links oi the respective 'chainsforming the mold conveyer, being rev.ceived. inways (14) formed in the inner faces of the housing. The housing preferably comprises two L- shaped members connected by'm eans of the straps (15), in such a manner as to leave a slot (16) extending longitudinally of the bottom of the housing for a purpose hereinafter described. The end walls of the molds thus come flush against the sides of the housing,'the molds passing beneath a supply chute or hopper (17) adapted to supply the molds with a plastic salve-like concrete mixture which supplies them with material. I preferably place heaters or mixers (18) at the mouth of the chute rotating such beaters'in a direction opposite to the direction of travel of the endless molds, for the purpose of imparting a final mixing to the material and also .to tamp the material into the molds, :The chute may. also be provided with a stroke-off iron (19) adapted to stroke the material off" level with the upper open ends of the molds. The sides of the mold housing extend preferably from a point adjacent the sprockets (2) past the presser wheel hereinafter described, but the slotted bottom of the housing extends some distance beyond sides from beneath, as at (23), the object of recessing at points between the inclined plate (34) and the rear ways (14).

both sides being to avoid the necessity of placing them in the container in any particular manner. Care must,

however, be taken to place the pallet boards in the con- (25) (25) supported in any convenient manner, sprocket (25) being driven from shaft (3) so that the travel of the mold chain and the pallet-feeding chain are synchronized or'timed, in order that a-pallet.will be presented to 'eachmold as it leaves sprockets (2). I The pallet feeding chain is provided with a series of lugs (26) spaced apart relative to each other, and adapted to engage succcssive pallets in the container to slide them along the extension (20) so that they will register \vithtlie molds successively. The pallet-feeding chaintravels in the s'lot in the bottom of the mold casing, the lugs (26) projeeting into the recesses (23) of the pallet boards, and causing them to travel with the molds, the pallet board feeding chain leaving the casing at the beginning of the extension (20) of the bottom. Of course, the sides of .the casing may be continued toward the front of the machine to container (21). V

Located behind the supply-chute (17) is the rotary compressor or wheel (27) journaled in suitable stand ards (28) and driven from the shaft (3) by a chain (29).

This wheel is provided with peripheral longitudinally extending grooves (30) (30) adapted to receive the upper reduced edges (11) of the side walls (10) of the molds, the grooves being spaced apart a sufficient distance to mesh with each side wall. The grooves are preferably so shaped that the periphery'of the wheel between the grooves will engage the entire upper surface of the material in the molds and compress the latter. In other words, the entire area of the space between each two adjacent grooves of the presser wheel engages the entire upper surface of the material in the mold and compacts it. Intermediate the grooves (30), I may place the ribs (31) adapted to form depressions in the upperrfaces of the bricks'and in order to clean the surface of the roll or wheel, I may provide the brush (32).

One end of an off-carrying belt (33) is located beneath the sprocket (2 an inclined plate (34) leading from the end of the extension (20) to the belt,

As one means for releasing the molds from the brick, I provide the followingCarried by the extension (20) sprocket (25) of the pallet feeding chain are a pair of spreading sprockets (35)., so that the mold chains, in

"passing'thereover are caused to diverge or spread apart to accommodate which the driving sprockets (2) are set further apart than are the sprockets (2). These spreading sprockets engage the lower portions of the mold chains as they emerge from the casing'(13) which casing prevents the chains from spreading while in the The spreading apart of the mold chains operates to release the end walls (8) (8) from the brick and pallet board, and simultaneously with the spread-' chains is effected whereby the brick on itsoriginal pal-l let is releasd from the molds, such release beingfacili tatedby a slight draw (not shown) given the traveling molds wherebythe lower faces are very slightly larger than the upper 'faees of'the molds. The brick and pallets are not entirely released 'from the molds untilthey reach the inclined plate (34) down which the pallet and brick is pushed by the succeeding bricks and pallets until it rests upon the offcarrying belt (33). The teeth'of the spreading sprockets are straight on one side and inclined on the opposite side, whereby.

the mold chains are caused to slip sidewise or laterally uponthe teeth and thus be spread apart. 'Further more, the spreading sprockets also serve as id'lers, to

take up the slack in the mold chains, and the latter:

as they are spread apart move relativelyto the pins (11) carried by the ends of the side walls of the mold, such side walls or division plates being carried around with the chains at all times.

In order to prevent dirt or other extraneous material from Working inbetween the sidewalls of the molds and the casing, I prefer to line the casing above the ways (1.4) .with sheet metal (14), the upper edge ol which projects above the casing. I also extend the end walls of the molds, as at (14) and flare or bend such extended 'stroke'd off as they leave the chute, after which they pass beneath the rotary compressor (27) which packs or presses the material firmly in the mold. it may be well to state that the cubic area of the mold is largerthan the cubic area-of the'biicks so that the molds may receive a large amount of material which is packed down by .the rotary compressor, the thickness of the :brick being determined by the distance between the under face of the. compressor and the upper face of the pallet board. As the bricks pass from beneath the compressor the mold chains are spread apart to release the brick from the molds, the chains remaining spread apart as they pass aroundthe sprockets (2 but as they approach the sprockets (2), the chains are brought together. A boy can keep the pallet hopper (21) filled with pallets. The chain of molds is arranged vertically, that is, the sprockets (2) (2 are set in vertical rather than horizontal planes, and the molds travel continuously rather than step-by-step. v

It will be noted that the periphery of the press-wheel (27) consists of removableplates (27), it being obvious that the plates shown in Fig. 4 may be removed and the'rock faceplate shown in Fig. 7 substituted therefor. -In fact, water tables, window caps, window sills or what-not can be madeby applying to the wheel, plates adapted to form such articles, the wheel being wide enough, say eight inches, to receive'such detachable plates. It is perfectly obvious also that my invention is adapted to manufacture blocks as well as bricks, it being necessary only to change the style of mold chains a trifle, as shown in-Figs. ,8 and 9, whereby the ends of 'the chain are beveled and overlapped so that the inner faces of the'bloeks are formed even and parallel, and thechains may break in passing around the sprockets.

At this point,

In order to prevent dirt ofextraneous material from.

working in between the block mold chains and the channel, I prefer to bevel the upper edges of the end plates (8) and locate an under=cut casting 35 on the upper edges of theside walls of the channel, the upper edges of the side plates or walls carried bythe chain being received and conforming in shape to the undercut groove (36) in the casting.

The cross walls are located sufficiently far apart to form blocks of any desired length, the pins (11) on the ends of the cross walls passing through apertures (37) formed in the side walls and received in the apertures in the solid links (7). The side walls are also provided with transversely extending parallel shoulders (38) adapted to receive the ends of the cross walls to prevent them from swinging ontheir pivots.

It is evident that many-changes might be made in the form and arrangements of the several parts described without departing from .the spirit and scope of my invention and hencel donot wish to limit myself to the exact construction herein set forth.

Having thus fully disclosed my invention, what l claim as new is 1 1. A brick-makingmachine comprising an endless chain of niolds, means for imparting a continuous motion to the chain of molds, a casing in which the return section of the chain of molds is confined during a portionof its travel. means for supplying material -to the molds during their progress through the casing, -meansfor automatically supplying pallet boards to the bottom faces of successive molds prior to the filling ot the molds, means for compressing the material in the molds, and means for'paa tially disassembling the molds to'release the completed brick and pallet boards, as the chain of molds progresses.

2. The combination in a brick-making machine,'of a pair of parallel chains, molds carried by the chains, the dis charge end of the chain or molds being higher than the receiving end, means for fillingthe molds, means for supplying pallet boards to the molds prior to the filling of the molds, means for compressing the material in the molds, means for spreading the chains apart at the discharge end of the machine to partially disassemble the molds and deliver the molded articles, and means other than the-means for supplying the pallet boards for con veying the articles from the machine.

3. In a brick-making machine, the combination with a pair of traveling endless chains; of molds carried by the chains, the molds open at top and bottom, means for sup plying pallet boards to the separate molds at the receiving end of the machine, prior to filling the molds, and means for gradually simultaneously spreading and raising the chains at the discharge end of the machine to partially disassemble the molds.

4. A brick-making machine comprising endless chains, molds loosely carried by the chains, the molds open at top and bottom, removable pallet boards for the bottoms of the molds, pairs of sprockets around which the entire molds and chains travel, the sprockets at the discharge end of.

the machine being set further apart and in a higher plane than the sprockets at the receivingend of the machine to simultaneously spread and raise the molds to cause 'of molds, pairs of sprockets around which the molds travel,

the sprockets at the discharge end of the machine being set further apart and higher than the sprockets at the receiving end of the machine,-confining means through Which the return section of the molds passes during a portion of its travel, idler sprockets located between the rear end of the casing and the sprockets at the discharge end of the machine and means for supporting the mold contents during its discharge.

(3. A brick-making machine comprising an endless chain of molds,means at the discharge end of the machine for ally.

7. A brick-making machine comprising an endless chain of molds, means at the discharge end of the machine for simultaneously and gradually raisingand partially disassembling the molds, a casing extending from the receivi-ng end toward the discharge end of the machine for receiving and confining the return section of the chain of molds throughout a portion of its travel, means for supplying pallet boards to-the respective molds at the receiving end of the machine prior to filling the molds, the teedin}; means moving the pallet through the casing, an

the chains pass during a portion of their travel, means for supplying pallet boards to the molds at the receiving end of the machine prior to filling the molds, the bottom of the casing provided with an extension projecting toward the discharge end of the machine, on which the pallet boards ride, and means for raising the molds and partially disassemblingthe chains as they reach the extension to free the completed articles and the pallet boards and deliver them onto the extension.

9. A brick making'machine comprising an endless chain of molds,a casing-for confining the return section of the chain of molds during a portion of its travel, the sides of the aslng being removed adjacent the discharge end of the machine, the bottom of the casing being slotted and extending from the receiving end to the discharge end of the machine,

means at the discharge end of the machine for simultane-' ously raising and separating the endless chain of molds and a pallet board feeding chain received in the slot in the bottom of lhe casing and adapted to supply the recasing in which the return section of the endless chain of 'molds is confined throughout a portion of its travel; the

side walls of the-casing having ways formed therein to re ceive the chains.

11. A brick making machine comprising an endless chain of molds, the molds consisting of end and side walls, a

casing in which a portion of the return section of the endless chain is received, a metallic lining projecting above the inner surfaces of the walls of the casing, theend walls of the mold being flared outwardly to take beliind and travel ing along the projecting stationary portion of the lining.

12. A brick making machine comprising an endless chain of molds, the molds consisting of end and side walls, a casing in which a portion of the return section of the end less chainis received, and coilperating means carried by the endless chain of molds arid by the casing to prevent the entrance of extraneous material between the casing and the endless chain of molds.

13. A brick-making machine comprising a plurality of pairs of sprockefs spaced apart from each other, an endless chain of expansiblc molds comprising side and end walls connecting the pairs of sprockets and passing there around, a casing through which the lower section of the chain of molds travels, a supply for filling the molds while passing through the casing and rotary pressure cylinder adapted to compress the material in the molds.

14. A brick making machine comprising a pair of parallel chains, the chains composed of hollow and solid links arranged alternately, end walls secured to the inner sections ot the hollow links, and side walls extending between the chains, the ends of the side walls received be tween the adjacent end walls and sprockets, the teeth of which are received in the hollow links.

15. A brick making machine comprising'a pair of chains, the chains consisting of alternate hollow and solid links, end walls pivotally secured to the inner sections of the hollow links, means carried by the end walls and engaging the inner sections of the hollow links for limiting the pivotal movement'of the end walls, and sidewalls extend ing between the chains; i i

16. A brick making machine comprising a pair of chains, end \valls'securcd to and parallel with the chains, side walls extending between the chains, and pins on the ends of the side walls, the pins loosely received in apertures in the chains to permit the chains to move latc rally toward and from each other and means for spreading and contining the chains. i

17. A brick making machine comprising a pair of chains, end .walls carried by the chains, side walls extending between the chains, the ends of the side walls receivable between the adjacent ends of the end walls, and means for loosely-connecting the chains and side walls to permit the chains to move toward and from the side walls, .the latter being continuously supported by the chains.

18. A brick or block-making machine comprising a pair of endless chains, end walls secured thereto, the ends of the end walls being beveled and over-lapping the ends of the adjacent end wa-lls, shoulders carried by-the end walls, and side walls suitably mounted at their ends and received between the shoulders.

10. A brick making machine comprising an endless. chain of molds, sprockets over which the molds pass. a stationary support on. which the chain oi mo lds is sustained throughout a portion of its travel and a presser cylinder located intermediate the sprockets and adjacent the stationary support, the chain of molds adapted to pass bctween the support and the cylinder.

20. A brick or block making machine comprising a pair of chains, :1 series of molds carried bythe chains, the

molds being open at top and bottom, sprockets over which" the chains pass, the sprockets at the discharge end of the machine being set farther apart and in a higher plane than the sprockets at the receiving end of the machine, a confining casing through which the lower section of the ser es of molds passes, means for supplying material to the molds as they pass through the casing, means for feeding pallet boards to the molds prior to filling the latter with the material, means for pressing the material in' chains, confining meansthrongh which the endless chain of,

molds passes during a portion of its travel, means fol compressing the material fed into the molds and idler sprockets located between the confining means and the sprockets at the discharge end of the machine adapted to spread the chains apart as they leave the confining means.

22. A brick-making machine comprising an endless chain of continuously-traveling molds, a casing through which thereturn section ot the chain-of molds passes during a portion ot its travel, means for supplying material to the molds during their progress through the casing, means for supplyin gpallet boards to the bottom faces of the molds prior tofilling the molds, means for. compressing the material in the molds means for automatically partially dis assembling the molds during their travel and after leaving the casing to release the completed brick and pallet boards, and off-carrying means on which the pallet boards and the bricks are received. I

23. A brick-making machine comprising endless chains, molds loosely carried by the chains, pairs of sprockets. around which the chainsiand molds pass, the sprockets at the discharge end of the machine being set farther apart than the sprockets atthe receiving end of the machine,

,whercby to spread the chains to partially disassemble the molds, the positions of the sprockets at the receiving end of the machine automatically reassembling the molds, the sprockets at the discharge end of themachine occupying a higher plane than the sprockets at the receiving end of the machine, whereby to elevate the discharge end of the chain, of molds, means for confining the endless chains through a portion of their-travel against spreading, and means for constantly supporting ,the-molded articles as they are discharged from the molds. Y

24. A briclemaking machine comprising a pair oi endless chains, molds carried by the chains, sprockets around which the chains and molds pass, pallet boards for the molds, the sprockets at the discharge end of the machine occupying a higher plane than the sprockets at the receiving end of the machine, whereby -'to discharge the molded arliclcs from the molds and means for constantly sup porting the pallet boards and-molded articles as they are discharged from the machine. I

'25. A brick-making machinecomprising a pair of endless chains, sprockets [or the chains, end walls carried by the chains, side walls extending across between the chains, the side walls carried by and movable with the chains around the sprockets, the chains capable of lateral movement rela live to the side walls, while still supporting the side walls. the sprockets at the discharge cnd of the machine being set farther apart than the sprockets at the receiving end of the machine, pallet boards, and means for constantly sup porting the molded articles on their pallet boards, as the articles are discharged from the machine.

In testimony whereof, I aihx my signature in presence of two witnesses.

IRA E. l-IISCOCK.

Witnesses I Fame. M. I-Irscocn,

. RALPH S. Wanmnnn. 

